Dave Salter v Dinand Knol

(1) Dave Salter – Dinand Knol [A46] Heidenfeld Memorial, 1500

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.e3 b6 4.Bd3 Bb7 5.Nbd2 c5 6.0-0 Be7 7.c3 Opening theory is not my strong point hence my choice of opening in this game 7…d5 8.Ne5 0-0 9.f4 Qc7 10.b3 Ba6 11.c4 didnt want to give up the B 11…dxc4 12.bxc4 [I considered 12.Ndxc4 but this didn’t seem to be in the spirit of opening – 12…b5 13.Na3 b4 (13…cxd4) ] 12…Nc6 13.Bb2 [13.Ndf3 was also possible] 13…Nb4 14.Bb1 [14.Be2 was also considered but I wanted a kingside attack!] 14…cxd4 15.exd4 Rad8 16.Qf3 Bb7 17.Qh3 h6 18.a3 tried to make g4 work but it seems to be too early… [18.g4 Nd7 19.a3 Nc6 20.Qd3 f5; 18.f5 looked at this too..] 18…Nc6 19.Ndf3 Nd7 20.Ba2 [20.Ng4 works here in most lines other than… A) 20…Qxf4?! 21.g3 Qc7 best – other moves are not so good after Nxh6 etc.. 22.Nxh6+ gxh6 23.Qxh6 f5 more or less forced 24.Qg6+ (24.Ng5 also may be winning) 24…Kh8 25.d5+ Nf6 26.Ng5 is winning for W; B) 20…f5 best 21.Nxh6+ White is committed to this now… 21…gxh6 22.Qxh6 B1) 22…Rf6?! 23.Qg5+ Kf8 (23…Kf7 24.d5) 24.d5 is a very strong attack for W; B2) 22…Nf6?! 23.Ng5 is very strong for W; B3) 22…Bf6 best 23.Qg6+ Kh8 24.Ng5 Nc5! the saving idea 25.dxc5 nothing really better 25…Bxb2 26.Rf3 Rd1+ 27.Kf2 doesnt really matter where the K goes, B will sac it on e2 27…Rd2+ 28.Ke3 Re2+ 29.Kxe2 Nd4+ when the K moves & Bxf3, White has nothing..] 20…Nf6 21.Rae1 [21.Rac1 was also possible given the position of the Black Qc7] 21…Bd6 22.Bb1 [22.g4 also looked at this… 22…Nh7 23.g5 (23.Bb1 Bxe5 24.fxe5 Na5) 23…hxg5 (23…Bxe5 24.fxe5 is also OK for B) 24.Nxc6 (24.Bb1 f5) 24…Qxc6 25.Bb1 f5] 22…Na5 23.Bd3 Ba6 24.Rc1 maybe this is where the Rook should have gone earlier [24.Nd2 the alternative 24…Nd7 looked solid enough; 24.Ng5 Rde8 leads to nothing…] 24…Nb3 [24…Bb7 25.g4 looks good for W] 25.Rc2 with thoughts of g4 & Rg2/f2 25…Bb7 26.g4

I had to analyse a long way down to play this… [26.Re2 this is the only other move considered but Ive wanted to play g4 so now is the time!!] 26…Ne4 [26…Nd7 27.g5 Nxe5 (27…Bxe5 28.fxe5) 28.fxe5 is better for W than after Ne4; 26…Ne8 27.g5 is similiar to Nd7 but probably worse] 27.g5 Nxd4 [27…Bxe5 28.fxe5 is good for W 28…Nxg5 29.Nxg5 Rxd4 30.Nxe6] 28.Bxd4 Bxe5 [28…Bc5 is the only other real alternative 29.Bxe4 Rxd4 30.Bxb7 Rxc4+ 31.Rcf2 Bxf2+ 32.Rxf2 is much better for W] 29.fxe5 Rxd4 30.Nxd4 this enters a line where B will get 4 x pawns for his Rook [30.gxh6 this is an alternative but it seems to lead to a draw – mots of the line is actulaly forced 30…Rxd3 (30…Qc5 transposes to the main line) 31.hxg7 Qc5+ 32.Kh1 Ng3+ 33.Kg2 (33.hxg3 Bxf3+ 34.Rxf3 Rd1+ 35.Rf1 Rxf1+ 36.Qxf1 Rd8 looks equal) 33…Nh5 (33…Kxg7 may also be as good as the main line) 34.gxf8Q+ Qxf8 35.Qxh5 Qg7+ 36.Kh3 Bxf3 37.Rxf3 Rxf3+ 38.Qxf3 Qh7+ picks up the Rc2 with a seemingly equal position] 30…Nxg5 31.Qe3 didnt really consider anything else here though Qg3 might be playable 31…Qxe5 32.Kf2 Qxh2+ 33.Ke1 Qh4+ [33…Bg2 34.Rg1 Qh4+ 35.Kd2 when the bg2 more or less has to retreat; 33…Qh3 34.Qxh3 Nxh3 35.Nb5 a6 36.Nd6 Rd8 37.Rd2 is good for White] 34.Kd2 the only real move – need to play Kc3 in answer to Rd8 34…Rd8 [34…Rc8 35.Nb5] 35.Kc3 f5 anything else would be too slow 36.Rf4 [36.Nxe6?! Rxd3+ 37.Qxd3 Nxe6 38.Qxf5 Qd4+ when the B pieces work really well together; 36.Rd2 Be4 and its hard to make progress
]36…Qh1 [36…Qh3 37.Re2 is good for W as B appears to have nothing better than.. 37…Qxe3 38.Rxe3] 37.Rc1 Qh2 38.Re1 Kh8 39.Re2 Qh1 [39…Qh3 40.Nxe6 Qxe3 41.Rxe3 Rxd3+ 42.Kxd3 Be4+ 43.Rfxe4 fxe4+ 44.Rxe4 was a possible alternative but not better than text] 40.Kb2 Be4 41.Bxe4 Nxe4 42.Rxe4 fxe4 43.Qxe4 Qd1 avoiding the endgame without Qs 44.Nxe6 Route 1 44…Rd2+ 45.Rxd2 Qxd2+ 46.Qc2 Qd7 47.Qg6 now I needed a plan to try to win – my idea now is to re-arrange and try to play a4-a5, swop off and leave a weak b6 and try to win it to get the c -pawn through 47…Kg8 48.Kb3 Qf7 49.Qe4 Qe7 50.Qd5 Kh7 51.a4 Kg6 52.a5 bxa5 53.c5 Kf6 54.Nd4 Qf7 55.Kc4 g6 56.Qxf7+ Kxf7 57.Kb5 1-0

This was the game for which that secured David his correspondence IM title